How to Use Technology for Sticking to Your Habits

However, when trying to adopt something that’s particularly challenging, you may find it tough to continue it for a few consecutive days, let alone weeks.

Luckily, there are technological interventions that can keep you on track and make motivation much easier to maintain.

The Momentum Browser Extension for Chrome

This useful extra for Chrome uses a gentle and repetitive approach to make sure you’re keeping your goals in sight. The first time you open Chrome on a given day, you’ll be greeted with a snapshot of a splendid landscape, and a prompt that asks you what your focus is for the day.

Every time thereafter when you open a new browser tab, you’ll see another backdrop of a gorgeous landscape, plus a motivational quote that’s meant to encourage you. It’s also possible to create a to-do list that nestles in the corner of every new browser window. You may want to use that feature if you’re the type of person who finds motivation from gradually checking necessities off a list.

The HabitSeed App

Based off the belief it takes 21 days to establish a new habit, an app called HabitSeed takes a slightly artistic approach to whatever life change you want to make. To begin, you could input a phrase into the app that says, “I want to do physical activity every day for 30 minutes.” Next, you’d tap a button that says, “Plant my seed!,” which creates the beginnings of a virtual tree that reaches full growth in three weeks.

Every day after stating your goal, you’ll be asked whether or not you’ve stuck to your desired habit. If you have, click the green checkmark and watch as your virtual tree grows larger and more extravagant. Like the Motivation extension for Chrome, HabitSeed tries to boost your morale with motivational quotes.

This app is designed for the iPhone, and if you want something that’s simple, straightforward and pretty, it checks all those boxes.

The Plus Self-Esteem App

More than likely, when you attempt to develop healthful habits, the efforts will improve your self-confidence too. In addition to using technology in your journey toward better habits, it may be useful to say positive affirmations, such as “I am strong enough to do this!” Giving yourself permission to make mistakes is also crucial. Breaking bad habits and creating new ones is rarely a straightforward process.

An app called Plus Self-Esteem could help you gradually feel more self-confident and happier. Coaching specialists developed the app, and it features a test you can take that’ll give baseline information about how much room there is for improvement in your current self-esteem level.

However, rather than just telling you your self-confidence is lacking, it’ll guide you through targeted exercises that should help you get closer to the results you want. Then, whether your ultimate goal is just to have better self-confidence in general or you know you need to feel stronger in yourself before striving toward an unrelated goal, this app offers tools for success.

The WasteNoTime Browser Extension

Perhaps you feel it’ll be necessary to take a slightly harsher approach than what’s used by the solutions above. In that case, check out the WasteNoTime extension. It’s available for Chrome and Safari, and you can set it so your preferences are reflected across multiple browsers or computers.

There’s an Instant Lockdown feature, which limits your Internet access for a specific period of time so you can focus on other things. Also, the Time Quota feature lets you specify how much time you’re allowed to spend on certain websites each day. Once you’ve reached the limit, you’re blocked from those sites for the rest of the day.

Finally, the Time Tracker breaks down how you spend time online. That feature may be useful if you want a clear answer to the “where did the time go?” question that always seems to be uttered when people look at their watches and find it’s much later than they thought.

These suggestions should get you off to a solid start if you have good intentions of making better habits in your life, but find your motivation is lacking. No matter what, be kind to yourself. Even with the assistance of technology, acquiring new habits takes both dedication and patience.

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